


Once A Hawk, Always A Duck

by erin287



Category: Mighty Ducks (Movies)
Genre: Adam likes being a Duck, Baby Banksy, Bonding, Cake Eater Thoughts, D1 Ducks, D1 Hawks, Definitely not losers, Ducks Fly Together, Fitting In, I gotta do what?, I just wanna play hockey, Life sucks sometimes, Making Friends, Minnesota North Stars, No way!, Not worth winning if you can't win big, Other, This aint that bad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 11:37:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12840342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erin287/pseuds/erin287
Summary: Adam's POV. The preteen boy finds out he has to switch to another peewee hockey team. This piece describes his feelings on the matter.





	Once A Hawk, Always A Duck

**Author's Note:**

> The bolded words are actual dialogue from the movie. The thoughts between them are all my own.

**TITLE:** Once a Hawk...Always a Duck  
**AUTHOR:** Erin E. Peters  
**CHARACTERS:** All the Duck kids from D1, and Bombay - McGill, Larson, Fanger, and Coach Reilly from the Hawks. Mr. Banks, and of course everyone's favorite little cake-eater.  
**RELATIONSHIPS:** No romantic relationships because they're eleven or twelve for Pete's sake. Hints of a budding friendship between Adam and Fulton, and Adam and Charlie.  
**RATING:** K - Content is suitable for all ages.  
**SUMMARY:** Adam's POV. The preteen boy finds out he has to switch to another peewee hockey team. This piece describes his feelings on the matter.  
**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own the Mighty Ducks, or any part of it. I only own my own story scenarios.  
**NOTES:** This is a two-shot. The first part is Adam's thoughts during the scene where they meet at the Hawks game to discuss the redistricting issue, and the second part is his thoughts during the scene where he is introduced to the Ducks in the locker room. _The bold text is actual dialogue from the movie._  
\--------  
**ONCE A HAWK...**  
\--------  
I had just finished another warm-up drill with my team, and was half-interestedly listening to our second line right wing Ethan Fanger blab on about his most recent 'girl of the week'. _Man, that kid goes through girls like I go through Kleenexes,_ I quipped to myself, stifling a small giggle.

All the sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a strange man with big glasses followed by – _the District Five coach?_ – make their way into our arena and over to our bench. They met Coach Reilly, and the three men started exchanging words.

 _Sorry, Ethan._ I thought – focusing my attention on our bench as I aimlessly skated around.

Just then I heard Coach's booming voice. **"Banks, over here."** I quickly skated over to the 'powwow', my interest growing. Something was definitely happening.

 **"Is there a problem, Coach Reilly?"** _Yep,_ I thought to myself, watching my dad open the glass and make his way onto the bench, _definitely a problem._ I was all too confused. I just wanted to get the game started and win it.

 **"Are you this boy's father? 450 North Hennepin Avenue, is that your address?"** The man with the glasses asked Dad. I could see our front line forward Jake McGill and star defenseman Casey Larson out of the corner of my eye, looking at us.

My dad agreed, and I had an unexplainable feeling that something here was about to go very, very wrong.

 **"Well, then, I'm afraid there's no mistake. This boy is playing for the wrong team."** There it was. I felt my stomach drop. _What do you mean wrong team, weirdo?_

 **"What?!"** I gasped incredulously. This was _not_ real.

 **"According to league rules, Adam Banks should be playing for District Five."** I rolled my eyes. District Five was stupid, they were poor. I couldn't go play _real_ hockey with them.

 _At least that explains whatever his name is._ I thought, blinking.

 **"My son is a Hawk, not a Duck."** My dad spoke. I winced at District Five's new team name, having read something about that in the paper a few days ago.

 **"Is this your doing, Gordon?"** Coach asked. _And now I have a name for the guy screwing me over,_ I thought begrudgingly.

**"I'll expect to see him at our next game."**

_Man, this guy is a total idiot! Leave me alone!_ I screamed in my head.

Then, turning to me, he continued, **"We'll have a uniform waiting for you."**

I wanted to laugh so hard.

 **"No way!"** I yelled. _That's it,_ I thought, _totally a nightmare._

My dad's expression got stern. I could tell by this time I was most likely not playing this game. Whether Dad and I would stay and watch it? That I didn't know. All I knew was I probably wasn't a Hawk anymore. "Man, this blows." I muttered under my breath.

 **"My son would rather not play then play for your team."** Dad shouted. I looked up, eyes wide in disbelief. _Dad doesn't actually think I'll give up hockey, does he?_

After that, I mentally checked myself out of the conversation. Gordon was saying something to Coach Reilly, but I wasn't hearing it. I sure wasn't believing this big jerk was gonna be my new coach.

All I knew, as the glasses man showed Dad and I a map moments later, was that I was screwed. So screwed.

...

Dad and I had stayed to watch the game, as I figured we would. We took his usual spot behind the Hawk bench. He used to like that spot when I was playing so that he could yell 'inspiration' at me while I was on a break in play. _Inspiration my butt,_ I thought. _More like idle threats._ But, I wouldn't ever say anything to him about the fact that I just wanted him to shut up most of the time.

"Dad?" I asked as the first intermission drew to a close, and period 2 got underway. "You don't actually expect me to just quit? Because of what that bozo Gordon or whatever did?"

My dad looked out onto the ice, as if an answer would form out of nowhere. "We're not talking about this now, Adam." I just slumped on the bleachers. _Stupid Distric-I mean Ducks coach._ I thought, feeling pretty defeated.

Each time the Hawks would score a goal, they would all jump up and scream out. The players on the ice would all embrace in a congratulatory huddle. _I should be out there,_ I thought wistfully. It wasn't helping matters that every time Jake and Casey were on the bench, they would turn around and stare at me quizzically. It's not like I could really answer them, being separated from the bench by layers of plexi-glass. All I could do was just look at them, and the rest of my old team, with chagrin.

I slipped into a trance, everyone around me but myself immersed in hockey action.

I found myself thinking about what it would be like to be out there with _the Ducks._ I didn't even like thinking about it, but I was being forced to. It sucked. Really sucked – majorly sucked.

The kids on the team were all a bunch of hapless losers. They were all horrible at hockey. They sort of knew it too, which was actually pretty hilarious. _That first game of the season was so embarrassing for them,_ I thought, suppressing a chuckle.

No, come to think of it actually, there _are_ a couple good kids on the team.

The first I thought was somewhat good was a dark-skinned kid with a big mouth named Jesse. I remembered a moment in the first game, when I had scored a goal first thing off the faceoff. I had knocked Jesse's helmet off – **that's one** – and he had tried to come at me. I could tell that the kid was not feeling me one bit, but I didn't care. He was a little punk. A spunky, punky, punk who undoubtedly could skate, but nonetheless, a punk. Now I was gonna have to play with him. _Ugh._ I winced internally.

The second I thought was somewhat good was the one who they called the team captain. A shy, caring, moral boy named Charlie. I don't know what it was about him, but he was the only one of the group that I actually cared about (just a little bit). He was the only one I kind of felt bad for when Jake, Casey and I would go out 'duck hunting', as they had started to call it.

 _Playing with Charlie won't be that bad,_ I thought, suddenly softening up a bit at the whole idea. I could finally help him up when he fell down, like I had wanted to do immediately after I had checked him into the boards a couple times because he was one of the 'others'. I just wanted to please Reilly and my dad.

I also thought that, in an alternate universe, Charlie and I may actually be friends.

I smiled to myself at the thought of possibly making friends with Charlie. I knew that the guys on the Hawks, including Jake and Casey, had always tolerated and put up with me because I was a good hockey player, a good anchor to center the team on, and I added to the 'thug life' of Jake and Casey's whenever they went out looking for trouble. But my sad truth was that I didn't have anyone I could call a real, true 'friend'.

I didn't know what Dad was gonna say about it. I knew that he was probably going to make a big scene about it, being an attorney himself and having the 'law by his side'. Whenever he didn't think something was fair he'd throw on his glasses, go in his study and read his law books, trying to find a way around it.

I sat in the Hawk arena next to Dad, who was jovially cheering as the third period came to a close and the Hawks closed the game out in another shutout. The other team looked about as bad as Distric-the Ducks had after our season premiere game. I made a mental note to myself to start calling them by their actual name, instead of some number. They were my new team, after all.

After letting my new reality sink in for a bit, as I sat there in the chill of the ice rink, I was actually warming up to the idea of going and playing on the 'other side of the lake'. It was going to be a different experience – that was for sure. I was also sure, with how mercilessly I tortured the kids with Jake and Casey in the past, that I wouldn't be given the warmest of welcomes. I was a bit nervous about leaving 'cake eater country' and playing for a team I thought sucked.

But, I was starting to think that maybe everything happens for a reason.

\------  
**...ALWAYS A DUCK**  
\------

I stood tentatively in front of the locker room door. All I could think about was my dad, on his way down to Southdale Center to while away the hours while I played (with a team he did not care one bit to watch, and he made that very clear the whole way over). Oh, and my incessantly beating heart, which I swore was going to come out of my chest at any moment.

My dad didn't understand why I had made the, what he called ridiculous, decision to go through with this. He had found a way to fight the redistricting issue, and even though Gordon Bombay hadn't cooperated, he was ready to take it to court. My mom and I had convinced him, quite painstakingly, to just let it go, and I would go weasel my way in with the 'losers'. Dad had simply said that "at least you might be able to turn them into a halfway decent bunch of losers" and retreated to his study with a glass of scotch. _Silver linings,_ I had thought solemnly, _silver linings._

"Okay, Adam, here goes nothing. They love to hate you but they'll hate to love you. It's all for the puck." I spoke to myself, trying to amp myself up. I bounced up and down on my toes for extra effect. It worked, but only slightly.

I opened the door, heart once again threatening to escape my ribcage.

Inside sat a team wearing green and gold, chatting, yelling and psyching themselves up for a game. If it was my old Hawks, the kids would all be sitting around Coach Reilly and _he_ would be the one doing the yelling. I had to admit, being in Coach Reilly's locker room before a game was not fun.

The team slowly stopped their chatter upon hearing the door open. They all stared at me like I was an alien for a good few seconds. I had never felt so nervous, or on display, in my life.

Speaking of the Ducks coach, he was nowhere to be found. _Where's Gordon?_ I thought. All of the sudden, I felt a hand on my shoulder and realized that he had followed me in.

 **"Hey, wasn't sure if you'd show up."** he said to me. I immediately felt a sense of comfort with him in the way he talked to me. His tone of voice was warm and caring, not cool and calculated like Reilly's.

 **"Yeah, whatever. I just want to play hockey."** I spoke back. _Well,_ I thought, _this might not be too bad. Other than the fact the team thinks I have two heads._

 **"Good."** My new coach took a step forward, hand clasped around my shoulder invitingly. I was feeling better than I thought. **"Ducks, you all know Adam Banks."**

I couldn't believe my eyes, or ears, because the next thing that was happening was Charlie, walking forward with his hand extended. _Of course._ I knew I liked him. **"On behalf of the Ducks, I'd like to say welcome."**

 **"Cake-eater."** Jesse sneered. This had been the reaction that, to be honest, I completely expected out of him. Jesse was the one that I had been the most nervous about coming and joining up with. I knew that the kid absolutely despised me, because I was from snooty, wealthy Edina. I supposed it didn't help that I was wearing a nice polo and a neatly coordinated outfit when I stepped in the locker room. He thought that I thought I was better than him, which in all honesty, I didn't think at all.

 **"Ooh, the Jess-man. Dissin' the new guy. The Jess-ter."** This kid was simply trying to lighten the mood, and I appreciated him for it. He wore big, goofy glasses and looked like one of those underdog kids from those 90's sports movies. I didn't know his name, however.

 **"Shut up, Averman."** _Now I do._ I thought, trying to think of a way to ease Jesse up on me. It was going to be a chore to do so.

 **"It's just a joke,"** I heard one of the teammates in the back reason. I appreciated whoever that was, too.

Jesse came up to me in similar fashion to my helmet toss when we met at the beginning of the season. And he said something that actually hurt me, just a little.

**"Putting on a Ducks jersey doesn't mean you're a real Duck."**

I watched in silence as one by one my new team members walked out of the locker room. Each looked at me in passing, but no one said anything. I didn't know what was worse, being stared at like that or being stared at like I was earlier.

Once everyone was gone, I looked at Coach Bombay. He smiled at me.

**"They're a good group once you get to know them."**

**"I bet."** I deadpanned, looking over at the jersey that was hanging on the wall, waiting for me. It was #99. I felt a pang of disappointment that I couldn't still be #9, but I could remember that was Jesse's number.

 **"Well, suit up. See you on the ice."** He said in a warm tone that I could get used to. He left me standing in the Ducks' locker room, staring at my new jersey and mentally preparing myself to put it on over my pads.

 _Well, Banks, this is it. Welcome to your new team._ I glanced down and thought that now I had to ditch my prized Hawks gym bag.

...

It had been a week and a half now that I had been playing with the Ducks. We were in the postseason. I had to admit, things were improving. Slowly, but very, very steadily and surely.

We had won the game that I had joined up with them for that night. I had beamed inside (and secretly jeered) when I found out it was the first game they had ever won. _See? Adam Banks is good for something, Duckies._ I thought.

My dad wasn't too fond of the idea, and I think that he would feel that way for a long time. He still loved the Hawks, as they were a huge tradition in our family, but he was slowly (with the coaxing and beseechment of my mom) accepting that this may be something that I want for myself. He knew deep down that I was always bit unhappy on the Hawks, but, like I had told Bombay, I just wanted to play hockey.

I sure hated that I didn't see him at a single one of my games, however.

Coach Bombay had taken the team to a North Stars game after the win that weekend, for a 'playoff present', and that act floored me, honestly. Never, in my couple years playing for Coach Reilly had he ever rewarded the team.

I really liked my new coach. I had heard that he was a lawyer, and was here on community service. I had also heard that he played peewee hockey, for my old coach no less. However he got with the Ducks, he seemed to really love coaching. He seemed to really enjoy us. He made me feel like my coach cared, something so different from what I had ever felt playing for Reilly. It was nice.

It was also nice when I found out my coach had played peewees with Basil McRae and Mike Modano. I idolized those guys. It made Bombay so much cooler in my eyes.

Another thing that was happening was that I was making friends. I couldn't believe it. I was actually starting to make friends. This is what I was hoping for.

My best friend on the team so far was a guy named Fulton Reed. He was a tall guy with a forceful shot, and someone who I was secretly glad to be on the good side of. I remembered how he had picked up Casey Larson and Jake McGill one time when we were picking on these kids and had literally thrown them into a pile of garbage. He hadn't picked me up, but I had been knocked in anyway. It was enough to intimidate me to my core. Fulton was a guy you didn't want to mess with, and I felt a sense of relief as I sat by him at the game, talking and laughing.

I hadn't had a lot of contact with Charlie Conway since the locker room welcome attempt, but I didn't mind. I just enjoyed the fact that I didn't have to be mean to the kid anymore, because I hated being mean to him. Charlie was perhaps the nicest kid I knew. It was great to be able to embrace him in congratulations after we scored a goal rather than check him into the boards in an attempt to appease. He was in my line, so we were usually out on the ice together. I also felt good when I would feel his arm on my shoulder during our pre-game 'quack chant', which in my opinion was way better than just shouting _win, win, win_ over and over.

When I had made my impression on the team that first night, I had been given the first line center spot. That was Guy Germaine's spot before I came along, and the kid was incredibly nice about giving it up. He was another soft-spoken, easygoing kid that I was looking forward to getting to know, and spend more time with.

As for Jesse Hall, he was slowly warming up to me the more goals I scored for his team. I had a strong sense of loyalty to the team I played for, and as of last week, that team was the Ducks. I think he was picking up on that, because he wasn't sneering at me anymore like he had that first day we joined together. I also had learned later (from Fulton) that he had kind of given me a sympathetic look at the North Stars game, when I caught Jake and Casey in the stands across the opening from us and they made a gesture at me like they were 'shooting the traitor.'

There were other kids on my team, like Les 'lighten the mood' Averman and the hilarious goalie Greg Goldberg that I was looking forward to getting to know, but as of right now I was quite content with the friends and acquaintances I did have on my new team.

Deep down I hoped that my dad would leave the district lines alone next year so I could keep getting to know these kids, who definitely weren't losers. _Coach Bombay was right,_ I thought back to that first day in the locker room, _they are a good group once you get to know them._

I hoped that I would always be a Duck, from here on out.


End file.
